FOR Rajesh Munishwar, a space and defence engineer hailing from Maharashtra's Nagpur and settled in Kyiv for the past 17 years, it is "painful” to see the Ukrainian city devastated by the Russian forces.
Munishwar, 35, who has managed to flee Kyiv with his wife and eight-year-old son and cross over to Romania, said Kyiv has been surrounded by Russian forces from all sides and several buildings, including key establishments, are bombed.
Speaking over the phone from Romania on Wednesday (2), Munishwar, who runs a missile designing company in Kyiv, said he and his family members are part of a group of 18 Indians who arranged vehicles for themselves and crossed into neighbouring countries.
"Kyiv is surrounded by the Russian forces from all sides. Northwest and northeast of Kyiv is occupied. Intense fighting is going on between the forces on streets and buildings in Kyiv. The devastation is huge. Yesterday, a 64-km-long convoy of Russian forces headed towards Kyiv. Russians told the local people to vacate the city as they planned to make heavy bombing in Kyiv," he said.
"At Labanovska Street, 200 metres away from our home, a cruise missile hit a building and its ninth and tenth floors were completely destroyed. The road from our home to the University of Defence is barricaded. Heavy firing between the natives and invasion forces is going on," he added.
Face-to-face firing between the two sides on the streets has become quite normal in Kyiv.
In Ukraine, there is a curfew from 5 pm to 7 am, he said, adding that Kharkiv city's freedom square, the central administrative building were heavily bombarded.
"Yesterday, they used a thermobaric vacuum bomb. Famous tractor factory XTZ was bombarded. The destruction was enormous. In Kyiv, the television tower got destroyed after it was bombed yesterday. It was a painful experience to see your city is burning," he said.
Two days back, the world's largest aircraft An-225 Mriya was destroyed. It was designed and built in Ukraine. There is heavy shelling and destruction in Kyiv and almost in all major cities and towns.
"The Indian Embassy had asked us yesterday to vacate Kyiv urgently and escape by any means. We went to the railway station on foot but saw a huge rush there. It was not possible to take any train as locals (natives) were given the preference. For people from other countries, boarding a train is next to impossible," he said.
"We are 18 Indians, who arranged small vans and buses and crossed over into the neighbouring countries. My wife and child and I reached Romania late yesterday night and are staying in base camp," he said expecting a flight to India.
(PTI)
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The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reported "further" cases of bird flu in Norfolk and East Riding of Yorkshire over the past week.
On Monday, DEFRA pre-emptively culled birds and introduced a three-kilometre protective zone at a farm in Norfolk due to suspected highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu.
A regional avian influenza prevention zone has also been enforced across eastern England, including areas in Lincolnshire and Suffolk, to reduce further cases.
Bird keepers in the affected regions are now required to keep their birds housed as part of the protective measures.
The risk of bird flu in wild birds in Great Britain has been raised to "very high," indicating that cases are "almost certain."
For poultry, the risk level has been assessed as between "medium" and "high."
So far, England has recorded 11 cases of the H5N1 strain and one case of the H5N5 strain during the current outbreak, which began with its first reported case in November.
No cases have been confirmed in Scotland or Wales.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, Great Britain no longer holds its status as being free from HPAI. The last case before this season was reported in February 2024.
Between 2021 and 2023, the UK experienced its largest recorded bird flu outbreak due to the H5N1 strain, which resulted in the deaths of 3.8 million birds and widespread infection in wild bird populations.
A study by conservationists earlier this year reported "extensive declines" in some seabird populations during this period.
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He wrote, “We do not tolerate intimidation or threats to life, and through our intelligence agencies and police forces will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to keep people safe. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.”
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The garland, with folded paper wrappers inscribed in Gujarati, is believed to have been presented as the Salt March passed near the Ahmedabad home of Gandhi’s personal physician, Dr Balvantrai N Kanuga. It was offered by his wife, Nanduben Kanuga.
The item was part of an ‘Islamic and Indian Art’ sale by Lyon & Turnbull in London last Wednesday (11).
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It descended from the collection of the late Dr Balvantrai N Kanuga, who, along with his wife, spent time at Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram as fellow satyagrahis.
A photograph of Gandhi being presented with the garland bears an inscription that reads: “Gandhiji Nanduben Kanuga. On the day of Dandi March. At Bungalow 12th March 1930.”
The auction literature explains: “This garland was presented to Gandhi to mark an auspicious beginning to the Salt March, a major non-violent protest in India in March-April 1930. The Salt March was one of Gandhi’s most successful campaigns in the struggle against British rule to secure equal rights and freedom for Indians.
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